Children selling lemonade in the Cleveland suburbs have told police they were robbed by teenagers who pulled up in a rusty old car and threatened to beat them up.
Eleven-year-old Omar Schpeb says he and his friends got scared and handed over their money. But he told WJW-TV he chased the car as it drove away and the teens tossed back some of the cash.
The kids estimate they lost at least $13.50 to the thieves, described as two guys wearing blue hoodies and skinny jeans and three teenage girls.
Parents of the children say a kind person donated $20 at the police station in Strongsville to make up for the theft.
Police are asking for tips to track down the teens.
Source: WJW-TV, www.fox8.com
Gone are the days when kids could safely set up a lemonade stand on a neighborhood sidewalk and sell a cold drink to passersby without fear of being threatened and robbed.
It's commendable when kids want to earn a little honest pocket change, and parents should encourage such entrepreneurial spirit. What better way for children to learn about honest work and reaping the financial benefits than earning it with their own ingenuity and efforts?
It's really a shame that some older kids have learned the opposite of that message: that it's "easier to take and break than to make." What is more unfortunate is that the teen-aged thieves will probably continue to be bullies and social parasites, until they are caught, incarcerated, or become victims themselves. Crooks are found in all levels of society, and come in many forms, ages and backgrounds; this regrettable incident is not a unique news item.
I hope the victims are not discouraged by their experience. Perhaps they could find safer jobs like cutting grass or washing cars that grateful and watchful adults would pay them to do.
My generation was sometimes rewarded for doing extra chores around the house. If you were lucky, you got an "allowance," and it taught us the value of earning a dollar. Maybe the days of developing good work ethics are not gone and there's still hope for future generations to treasure the gratification of earning an honest buck!
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